Page 62 of One Hot Chase

"I'm happy to help." He offers me his arm. "Allow me to assist you..."

"Sabrina."

He nods crisply.

I let Abad guide me through a maze of corridors. As we approach a small private hangar, I get a glimpse of a sleek aircraft waiting on the tarmac. A tingle races over my skin as I spot a familiar figure leaning against the plane's fuselage, arms crossed, a cocky grin plastered on his face.

Declan.

Abad discreetly returns to the terminal.

"Took you long enough, Sabrina," Declan calls out. "I was beginning to think you'd given up on the chase already."

I squint at him, torn between the desire to kiss him senseless and the urge to smack that smug look off his face. "You are such an ass, Declan Wilde."

"Am I? You had much more complimentary things to say about me last night." He taps a finger on his chin. "Let me see if I remember the exact words. 'Oh, Declan, you rock.' Yes, you said that. And there was---"

"Ugh, I don't need the instant replay," I huff, marching toward him. "Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

His grin softens into something more tender as I approach him. "Please forgive me, pet. I didn't mean to cause you anxiety. I simply wanted to surprise you."

I halt just short of him, crossing my arms. "Well, mission accomplished. I'm surprised. And annoyed. And..." I trail off, unable to find the right words to express the whirlwind of emotions I'm experiencing.

Declan reaches out, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear. "And what? You didn't finish your thought."

I throw my arms up, then let them flop back down again. "And exhilarated. Happy now? I can't believe I'm about to get on a private jet with a man I barely know."

He pulls me into his arms. "Oh, I'd say you know me quite intimately by now, Bree. But there's much more to discover. For both of us."

I shiver at his words, desire pooling in my belly. But I force myself to step back, fixing him with a stern look. "Hold on, mister. You don't get to just whisk me away without an explanation. Where are we going?"

Declan's eyes twinkle with mischief. "That, my darling, is part of the adventure. Don't you trust me?"

I snort. "About as far as I can throw you."

He clutches his chest in mock hurt. "You wound me, Sabrina. After all we've been through? But I don't believe you, pet. Our intimacy last night proved you're lying now."

"Oh, please. All we've been through is a week of incredible orgasms and questionable decision-making," I retort, even as my lips twitch with the effort of suppressing a smile.

"Ah, but what a week it's been."

I can't argue with that. My body tingles at the memory of our passionate encounters. But I'm not ready to let him off the hook just yet.

"Fine," I concede, poking him in the chest. "But I have conditions. One, you tell me where we're going. Two, we make it back in time for my sister's wedding. And three..." I pause, searching for a third demand.

Declan raises an eyebrow, amusement dancing in his eyes. "And three?"

I blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. "And three, you teach me how to fly this thing."

He tips his head to the side as a slow, sinful gring spreads across his face. "Deal."

Declan claims my hand, leading me toward the sleek aircraft. It isn't as large as I would have expected, but it's quite elegant. "Your flying lessons begin now, Miss Remington."

My heart races as we approach the plane. It's smaller than I expected, gleaming white against the tarmac with splashes of bright red here and there. Declan helps me up the steps, his hand on the small of my back.

Inside, the cabin is luxurious, all soft leather and polished wood. But Declan doesn't pause, guiding me straight to the cockpit.

"Alright, darling," he says, settling into the pilot's seat. "First rule of flying---always check your instruments."

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